Series Rec: Conductivity

[swissmarg]

Title: Conductivity Series
Author: liriodendron
Pairing: John/Sherlock
Length: 73,283 words in 3 complete parts*
Rating: Mature to Explicit
Warnings: None
Verse: Sherlock BBC
Author's summary: ' "Really, Watson, you excel yourself," said Holmes, pushing back his chair and lighting a cigarette. "I am bound to say that in all the accounts which you have been so good as to give of my own small achievements you have habitually underrated your own abilities. It may be that you are not yourself luminous, but you are a conductor of light. Some people without possessing genius have a remarkable power of stimulating it. I confess, my dear fellow, that I am very much in your debt." ' - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, "The Hound of the Baskervilles"

Reccer's comments: This series, at its heart, is about Sherlock's journey to discovering love. It begins with him realising what an integral part of his life John has become, and he welcomes the progression of their relationship into something physical, but he steadfastly rejects the notion that what he is experiencing is love. His attitude toward 'love' is explained well in this excerpt from the second part of the series, Conducting Light:

“Love is a terrible thing,” Sherlock says bitterly as they get in the taxi back to Baker Street. “Look what it does. It destroys.”

John is no stranger to Sherlock’s philosophy on love, but this is a dagger in the chest, especially considering what he has just witnessed. “Don’t say that,” he says quietly.

Sherlock completely fails to register John’s reaction and forges on. “But it’s true,” he insists. “See what it did those kids? Love is blind and stupid. When you let it in, it takes over, you’re not in control of yourself any more. You do things you never would have dreamt of. Chemicals flood your brain and you have no say about how you feel any more, no power to control your actions. And even when it doesn’t end like this, there’s still destruction, the subsuming of yourself as you are to please another person. I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.”

Sherlock looks pleased with himself for this little speech. John makes no reply and looks out the window, and Sherlock finally cottons on that something is wrong.

“John?”

“It’s fine. I hear you. You’ve made it very clear. Love is chief among the evils of mankind. I got it.”

As the two of them tackle a series of cases, they work through what their relationship is all about, and what it means. What especially fascinated me were the insights into Sherlock's thought processes, as the entire series is told from his point of view. He's no softie, and his sociopathic – or at least socially awkward – tendencies come through brilliantly.

It's not purely relationship stuff, though. The cases are engaging and creative, with surprising twists that keep even Sherlock puzzled right up to the end. The dialogue between the characters is absolutely on point in terms of characterisation, with quick retorts and scathing put-downs and metaphoric excursions that border on poetry.

*There is a fourth part of the series being posted as a WIP, but the currently complete trilogy ends in a wholly satisfying place, so don't be afraid of plunging in right away.

Comments

[glos10.livejournal.com]

I totally agree with you on this series, I loved it, especially part 3, the case was good!!
*waiting patiently for the 4th to be completed*

[allonymity.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much for recommending this! It's not something I would have read on my own - in general I've been shying away from new epic "how Sherlock and John finally got together" fics because it felt like everything that could be written had been written. But this series feels fresh and yet so true to character. I especially love how the author describes the way Sherlock's brain processes his feelings for John - brilliant (literally)!

[swissmarg]

Oh, I know how you feel. I thought I was totally done with another genre, post-Reichenbach fic, but then new ones keep popping up that are sooo yummy! I'm glad you liked this one too. :)

[the-hobbet.livejournal.com]

I've been so over Johnlock and craving some true-to-the-original bromance, but the writing here is absolutely gorgeous. I just finished the first installment and should be on my way to bed. I fear it's going to be a long night :-)